Chrome set to pause troublesome Flash content

Google is implementing a feature into the next version of Chrome that will see Flash content automatically paused – all in the name of battery life.

We’ve all experienced it – clicking on a website and being hit with an auto-playing video. The audio’s the worst thing, particularly if you have multiple tabs open and can’t determine where it’s coming from.

Google is going to help put a stop to such nonsense, but it’s not doing so to ease your annoyance.

Over on the Google Chrome Blog, the search giant has spoken of working with Adobe itself to implement an auto-pause feature on non-essential Flash content.

The new browser will pick out incidental Flash content (like auto-playing ads and animations) while keeping central content like proper videos going, all to boost your laptop’s battery life.

If the browser pauses something you’re actually genuinely interested in, you can simply click to resume playing that piece of content.

Apparently, “This update significantly reduces power consumption, allowing you to surf the web longer before having to hunt for a power outlet.”

The new Flash-pausing feature is enabled by default in the latest Chrome desktop beta, and will be rolling out to everyone soon. In fact, you can enable the feature manually right now if you so wish.

Just go into the Chrome menu, click “Show advanced settings” towards the bottom of the page, select “Content settings” from the “Privacy” section, then tick the box “Detect and run important plugin content” under the Plug-ins section.